In a prior post we shared some best practices for avoiding heat related maladies.
Continuing on a similar theme, one of the most common maladies that can cause injuries on job sites is the dangerous combination of job burnout and safety burnout, which can not only make the burnt-out employee susceptible to injury, but also everyone they are working around!
Warning Signs of Burnout
Burnout is the result of someone’s attempt to cope with overwhelming and prolonged stress or discontentment, and it doesn’t happen overnight. There are warning signs to be on the lookout for.
- Complacency is a significant indicator of safety burnout and an injury or accident could be imminent. Do employees ever say, “We’ve always done it this way” or “That’s close enough?”
- Breaking the rules is another sign to watch out for. Are the comments, “The boss isn’t around to see” or “We were just kidding around” ever heard? If so, management must reinforce that rules need to be followed all the time (no matter who is/isn’t around); management must also take disciplinary actions in response to safety infractions.
- Employees’ moods and attitudes can be a big indicator of burnout, so attention should be paid to them both. Do certain team members seem disengaged, unmotivated or express a negative and critical attitude at work? Have other employees complained about certain co-workers or voiced concerns?
Identifying Burnout
Burnout can be identified by three signs, which can be measured by a version of the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI). It includes questionnaires/surveys that address these general areas:
- Emotional Exhaustion – Measures feelings of being emotionally overextended by one’s work; physical exhaustion and cognitive fatigue are often present too
- Depersonalization – Occurs when others are perceived as or treated as ‘objects’ instead of valued individuals
- Personal accomplishment – Measures feelings of competence and successful achievement in one’s work.
The MBI surveys can be purchased from various websites and easily completed by employees. The scores will help determine if someone is currently burned out or the likelihood of it happening soon. This information can be very helpful so changes can start happening before it’s too late.
Effects of Burnout
The consequences of burnout can be severe for both employers and their employees.
- Job burnout increases the chances of an accident/injury both on and off the job. The effects of stress or burnout on the job can also carry over to someone’s personal life outside of work.
- Numerous studies indicate that burnout increases absenteeism and turnover. This can lead to staffing challenges, impact employee morale, and create safety concerns.
- Burnout can cause a variety of health problems including sleeplessness, physical ailments and illnesses, depression and even substance abuse.
- Productivity can drop and creativity can also be affected.
Fortunately, there are things that can be done to avoid burnout, which will be the subject of our next post.